Letter bundle binder and carrier



Au 9, 1932. F, 'FARLEY 1,871,263

LETTER BUNDLE BINDER AND CARRIER Filed 061;. 7, 1951 INVENTWEI Patented Aug. 9, 1932 'sr'rss FRANK FARLEY, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA LETTER BUNDLE BINDER AND CARRIER Application filed October 7, 1931. Serial no. 567,374.

My invention relates to a new article of manufacture comprising a device whichis most aptly designated as a letter-bundle binder and carrier. t is designed particularly for use in postal service, and is also useful in so-called mail order houses or other. places where large quantities of letters, printed matter, etc, are handled.

The main object is to provide a simple, highly efiicient and inexpensive device for holding and carrying sorted groups or bunches of letters, circulars, and various kinds of merchandise, as hereinafter fully described, reference being had 'to the accompanying drawing, in which,-

Fig. l is a top or plan view of a preferred form of my device in open position.

Fig. 2 is a detail view about on the planes indicated by either of the two lines 22 in Fig. 1, showing the initial contact position of a spring arm and also the clamping position of the same arm, the latter dotted.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 1 in enlarged scale and two positions of the clamping means in action.

Fig. 4 is a modification of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 a front View of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view as on line 66 in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals and initially to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 particularly, my device comprises an elongated fiat metal base 7 formed with two central side extensions or arms 7A.. At all the 4 termini of said base is provided a transverse hinge member 8, each comprising two tubular bearings or equivalent and in which is retained a hinge-pin 9 on which is pivotally mounted a certain clamp arm 10 presently to be fully described.

There are preferably four clamp arms 10 as shown, one pivoted in the gap of each bearing 8 on a pin 9, the pivot part of each arm being U-shape in cross section and of such size as to fit therein with slight frictional contact against and between the adjacent parts of the bearings. Obviously, the clamp arms all swing in vertical plane, two longitudinally and two transversely. Below the pivot of each clamp it comprises a short lever extending below the fulcrum of the arm and has in its lower end part a journal pin 11 which retains pivotally theouter endof a link 12 in a common plane with the;clamp arm. Above the short lever arm of the clamp, each comprises an arched spring-metalarm curved inward toward the center of the-dc vice.

- Member 13 is an elongated, preferably quadrangular, plate or fiat tray parallel to the base 7 and above it as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. This plate is provided at its ends and sides with integral hinge means 13H similar to hinges 8 and having each a pintle 14, each said hinge having a gap in which the inner end of a link 12 is held pivotally on the pintle. These hinges being inward of hinges 8 and above same (normally) the links 12 all extend inwardly and upwardly in inclined planes when plate 13 is in initial raised position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. .3. Simultaneously the clamp arms extend outwardly horizontally from their respective hinges 8, except that their outer arched ends project upwardly. When the device is in the initial position just described it is ready for use. On the raised or elevated plate may be placed a number of letters, circulars or other similar matter, designated 15.

In the postal service. a large number of these devices may be set on a table in operative position, each device, for example, to receive mail for a certain destination. When a number of letters have been laid on the plates 13=and sorting of mail completed, the operator merely presses down on the bundle or stack 15, plate 13 moving downwardly and causing all the links 12 to simultaneously push outwardly and their outer ends forcing the short lower arms of the clamps to swing under their pivots 8 and the arched outer ends of all the clamp arms simultaneously swing inwardly until their free ends contact downwardly on top of the pack 15. This contact takes place before the plate 13'has moved downwardly very far, or approximately one half the distance from initial position to the base 7. This position is best shown in Fig.

3, and at this stage the links 12 are relatively or nearly in a horizontal plane and with their inner ends in a plane above their outer ends,

the latter ends having during the initial clamping movement pushed the lever (lower) ends of all the clamp arms to about vertical, the pivots 11 being now of course below pivots 9. Further downward pressure causes links 12 to push the lower ends of clamp arms 10 outwardly and of course the arched parts of said arms are simultaneously sprung in and down upon the pack 15, frictioncontact on top of the pack increasing as the downward movement of the pack brings the plate 13 into contact with base 7, this last position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the links 12 pass below theplane ofjthe bearings 8 it is clear that they will assume an outward and upwardlydirected position, in angular plane, each with its outer end then higher than the inner end; The links 12 are made of stifi butyieldable spring metal enabling them to pass downwardly below the level of beariIlgS-s;

Below said level the links are all under compression and pinched so to-speak'below the center line orlevel-*ofbearingsS, andzplate 1'3 is consequently pressed continuously toward base 7 not only by the compression inlinks 12 "but also by the downward pressure of the clamp arms on top of pack 15. While the device is inthiszlast described condition it is in compact form, holding a pack 15 solidly together andthe whole readily picked up and stored away temporarily or taken to any place where the pack 15 is tobedisposed of. For example, in a postal station any number of packs of: letters. may be first sortedin various packseachonaholder, then after sorting is completed the various packs securely clamped in units for. various destinations and carried fromasortmg table vto the placewhere sacks or other. containers are .inreadiness.

Aniim'portant. feature of the device is its compact construction, as it takesup only a little more room than the sizesofthe packs 15 when innse, and when notin use the device is collapsed so, that allthe clamp arms aredirected. inwardly and downwardly and rest upon the plate 13 while the latter lies. flat on the base. i v

V In the; modification, Figs. 4, 5' and-6there is no change in mechanical operation but Ihave illustrated the. base 71- as. being relatively smaller than plate 13, the clampv arms .10 pivs oted to the plate, 13 and links.12-in initial posig tion, extendinginoutward and upwardly inclinedplanes to the. lower ends ofthe clamp arms. When plate 13 and pack 15 are pressed down. for clamping action of arms. 10 the mechanical action is identical with the device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and .3 exceptthatlinks 12 press outwardly, with their upper ends instead of the lower-ends, plate13 beingbronght close to: 7, as indicated by thedotted lines inFig. 5, when the device is closed-andpacl L15=-frictionally engaged,

To provide-clearance forthe. loweror lever ends of clamp arms 10 the base member may be provided with suitable spaced lugs 7L which hold the base 7 elevated above the sup- .wardly and downwardly until the plate 13 and base 7 are spread apart. To remove a pack 15 thus held any suitable flat blade may be inserted between said parts and twisted to separate them, this action causing links 12 to be sprung over center or in other words, sprung so that the inner ends of the links pass the horizontal plane of bearings 8 after which the clamp arms 10 are free of stress and can be readily spread out to provide for further use of the device.

In Fig. 6 the base 7 is shown with a central slot 7S, while plate 13 is provided; with a fixed central. eye-bolt 17 projecting downwardly from its under side. This member 17 may be a hook and in any case is projectable freely thru slot 78 when the device is collapsed, the member 17 then projecting 011i wardly of, and below base 7, the protruding parts thereof providing carrying means and means for hanging up the entire device for storage purposes.

I have herein fully exposed the'construction and use of my device. It is obvious and possible within the scope of this invention thata number of modifications may be made. For example the lever or pivot. ends of. the clamp arms maybe made of any suitable ma.- terial and include a socket or holding means for the arched armpart, the latter in anycase necessarily being of spring metal; whether made of spring wire or leaf springvmaterial.

The plates 13 need not be of the shape shown orrthe number of clamp arms limited to 4, and the said plate 13 may be in the form of a shallow tray if so desired.

The device is designed particularlyfor letter. mail, but in large devices may be found suitable for bulkier articles-thanletters, such as mail-order packages and the like.

I claim:

1. A letter bundleand. carrier deviceof the class described, comprising a pair of par.- allel plates, one plate a base and the other plate above it andnormally parallel thereto,

a series of clamp arms pivoted on theperim ,ing member, and adapted when pressed to.- J

ward the other plate to actuate the links and their respective clamp arms and the latter to swing simultaneously inwardly and thence downwardly to engage the topmost surface of the goods and press downwardly thereon.

2. The structure specified in claim 1 in which all said clamp arms, when open, extend approximately horizontally and transvcrsely from the side of the device and thence in an upward curvature.

3. The structure specified in claim 1 in which each said clamp arm comprises an inwardly arched arm of yieldable material, and the link connected to each clamp arm being shorter than its corresponding clamp arm, all said links being counterparts and all the clamp arms counterparts.

4. A letter bundle and carrier device of the class described, comprising a pair of parallel plates, one plate a base and the other plate above it and normally parallel thereto, a series of clamp arms pivoted on the perimeter of one plate and having each below its pivot a short lever arm, a corresponding series of links pivoted each with one end to said short lever and its other end pivotally secured to the other plate, each said link and its connected clamp arm adaptable for movement in a common upright plane, and said links all positioned in inclined planes when the upper plate is in raised parallel position, said upper plate comprising a goods-supporting member, and adapted when pressed toward the other plate to actuate the links and their respective clamp arms and the latter to swing simultaneously inwardly and thence downwardly to engage the topmost surface of the goods and press downwardly thereon, said links each comprising a springmetal member and all said links so arranged as to move from one angular position to an opposite angular position with relation to a horizontal common plane through the pivots of the clamp arms, for the purpose set forth.

5. A bundle carrier of the class described comprising an upper and a lower plate, the upper plate comprising a receiving member for supporting articles thereon, a series of pivotally mounted clamp arms, at the perimeter of one plate and each comprising an inwardly arched main arm and a short lever arm, all said clamp arms movable in vertical planes inward and over the top plate simultaneously, means mounted on the other plate and connected with said short lever arms and actuated by pressing said plates toward each other to swing all the clamp arms inwardly and down upon the articles on the upper plate, said latter means arranged toautomatically lock the said clamp arms and hold frictional contact of the latter on the goods when the two plates are pressed to contacting positions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK FARLEY. 

